16 May 2006

John Legend and Cornel West Against Homophobia

Cornel West and John Legend are must-see-tv as they discuss gays, the black community and homophobia on Real Time with Bill Maher. Both offer support and critiques of our community after some choice pot-shots by national security expert Richard A. Clarke. West agrees that many blacks may be homophobic but "it's not a big issue across the board. Black people are not more homophobic than other folk. But black people are homophobic. ... We need more Americans to speak up against homophobia. We've got to defend the gay brothers and the lesbian sisters."

Bravo. The love-fest continues with super-fabulous John Legend, who schools Richard Clarke on a few things. Clarke attempted to blame John Kerry's 2004 loss solely on the homophobic black vote in Ohio. John Legend, an Ohio native, debated Clarke toe-to-toe on the politics of his homestate: "[Homophobia] is coming back ... It's a big issue but in the black community but we don't vote on that issue, we tend to vote on other issues." Legend also repeated instances of intimidation and voter fraud in his homestate. Clarke discounted the GOP's nationwide gay-marriage wedge platform and apparently forgot or never heard about the voting fiasco in Florida. Not to mention the fact that Kerry's campaign was just plain ole' sloppy from start to finish. Rod 2.0 ♥ John Legend.